Improvement in pence



tlnited tant @anni @tina t THOMAS rE. PHILLIPS, OF COAIESVILLE, INDIANA.'Leners Pawn: No. 57,364, dated March 2, 1869.

VIIVIPROVEIVIENT IN FENCE.

'm schaduw referred to m these Letters Patent and making pm of me me.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS E. PHILLIrs, of Coatesville, in the county ofHendricks, and State of Indiana,y have invented new and usefulImprovements in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that willenable skilled artisans to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, making part of this specification.`

rlhis invention relates to construction and mode of interlocking thepanels of portable fences, combined with the mode of supporting andbracing tl1em,.with a view to simplify and lessen their cost ofconstruction, and expedite the labor of putting them up, and 'to makethem perfectly adaptable to all the purposes for which eithcrpermanentor portable fences are used.

Figure 1 is 'au elevation of the fence, and Figure 2 is a top or planView, ofthe same. lSimilar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several ignresi.4 l .The panels of the fence are composedofone post, E, of, say, two by three-inch scantling, board rails A BO,`and three vertical st'rips D, put together as clearly shown in thedrawing. The top and bottom rails, A B, are notched at the ends, theleft-hand end having the notches cut out of the bottom edge, and theright-hand end out of the top edge, so Vthat when'setlup they will matchtogether, as shown, the projecting ends of the rails, at the left-handend of the panel, entering the recesses formed between the post E-andvertical strip D, by the notches cut out' of'the upper edges of the-topand bottom boards, at the right-hand end 'of the panel.

This mode of constructing the panels obviates the necessity of usingmore than one post to each panel, as it admits of their beingsubstantially intel-locked, and the fence is supported in an uprightposition by braces F, that are bolted or otherwise secured, by theirupper ends, to each post, near its top, and by their lower ends tostakes G, that are driven into the ground at the proper distance fromthe fence, as shown. TheseI braces also perfectly subserve the purposeof support- .ing the; fence against lateral pressure, whether of windorfstock.

The braces-aremade of the vsame-kind of boards as the rails, andthestakes may be made of the same or of heavier material, as desired.

When itis desired that the posts shall stand directly upon the ground,without anyintervening support, they are onta few-inches longer than theheight of the panel,

-so as toraise the bottom rail oli the ground; but they may be cut thesame length as the height of the panel, and be supported on blocks orstones, if desired.

The panels may be made, and the braces and stakes "prepared, undershelter, and when ready to be' set up,

a line is stretched along,V the position to be occupied by the stakes,which are then spaced o the length ofthe panels apart, and driven intotheground.

If the fence is put up-for temporary purposes, and soon to be takendown, it' will he found more economical, to attach the braces F to theposts and stakes with light 'boltsand nuts, as it may be more readilytaken down, without damageorloss to the material, and in` thiscase theholesA may be previously bored to receive them.

After the stakes are driven, the panels may then be set up, and thebraces attached. i

If the fence is to be permanently erected, the braces may be nailed tothe posts and stakes. 4

Angles in -this fence are readily and substantially formed by notchinginto the top and bottom rails, A B, v v

as shown at S, fig, v1, and by leaving a projection on the top rail ofthe connecting-panel, to form ahook,

as shown at r, at the left-hand end of tig. l, by which they may belocked together.`

`If found desirable, a block may be put inateach post, above-the bottomrail, that will ll the space between 'it and the next rail above, thatwill serve asal panels from' becoming detached by key,tto keep thebreachy stock.

I am aware that panels of fence, both for permanent and portablepurposes, have been constructed in a manner somewhat similar to thosehere shown, and that stakes and braces have been used in an analogousmanner; but I am not apprised that the several elements of `whichVfences are composed have been construct-ed, arranged, and combined, scas to be as cheaply, conveniently, and expeditiously made, andsubstantially put up, as-this.l

Having thus fully descnbed luy-invention,

lWhat -I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v Thecombination and arrangement of the panels, composed of notched rails AB, rails C, post E, and vertical strips D, when constructed asdescribed, with the braces F and stakes G, as set forth.

THOMAS E. PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

JOHN A. PHILLIPS, J AcoB W. PHILLIPS

